The evolving metal scene at the turn of the 21st century brought us Big Shot Allstar. Fronted by veteran lead vocalist Michael Pistrui (Beats The Hell Out Of Me) and backed by LR (drums), Cristin D. Davis (guitar), Frank Bocchini (bass), and Patrick Houlihan (guitars/keyboards), Big Shot Allstar became a staple on the Valley circuit, playing such legendary haunts as The Mason Jar, Boston’s, Cooper’s Town, and Big Fish Pub.
In 1999, the Tempe, AZ-based quintet entered Larry Elyea’s Mind’s Eye Digital studio and churned out their debut self-titled five-song EP. The lead-off track, “Colorized,” caught the ear of KUPD-FM DJ Larry Mac, and he gave it a spin on his show. The response was immediate and “Colorized” quickly landed in regular rotation on the station.
The momentum continued with Big Shot Allstar inking a multi-album deal with Disney-owned Mammoth Records. On St. Patty’s Day of 2000, Mammoth showcased the band at the prestigious SXSW festival in Austin, TX. The group immediately returned to Phoenix to get to work on their full-length Mammoth release. The sessions were a great success… but you know how the story ends. Like so many bands before and after, Big Shot Allstar found themselves at the losing end of a corporate behemoth. But that’s Disney’s loss. The recordings from 1999 and their eponymous album now proudly reside in the Fervor Records catalog.
